A Chipotle-style pizza chain backed by LeBron James is becoming a huge threat to Domino's and Pizza Hut

Build-your-own pizza chain Blaze Pizza should worry traditional pizza retailers from Pizza Hut to Domino's. The LeBron James-backed company has gone from an idea in 2011 to nearly 160 locations nationwide, with an additional 94 restaurants in the pipeline.

The company racked up $130 million in 2016 sales through September, up 86% year over year. Revenue is on track to hit $300 million in 2017, according to a company spokesperson.

We visited Blaze Pizza's Fremont, California, restaurant to see whether the pizza really is fit for a king — King James, that is.

Seconds later, he lifted the dough off the plate and placed it on a wood peel for transportation down the assembly line.

When it came time to pick toppings, Chef Brad encouraged me that "less is more." The meatballs, made with all-white turkey meat and portobello mushrooms, had me drooling.

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Chef Brad said he tried 80 different mozzarellas before selecting this tender shred for the restaurant chain.

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To top off my pie, I added Italian sausage, red onions, black olives, chunks of zucchini, and a sprinkling of cilantro.

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Blaze Pizza's thin-crust pies cook in just 180 seconds in this 3-ton oven, outfitted with a stone hearth and open flames on three sides.

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The oven has a BTU range 15 times that of a home oven. "We're talking about a lot of firepower," Chef Brad said. He twirled the pizza several times so it didn't burn on one side.

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Voilà! Three minutes later, my individual pizza emerged hot and crispy on the edges. The chef cut it into six slices and boxed it up.

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One bite in, I couldn't believe I was eating a fast-casual pizza. Thin, light on the sauce, pliable enough to be folded in half, and wood-fired, it reminded me of pies from my favorite Brooklyn pizzeria, Roberta's.

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That's no coincidence. "New Yorkers make food with grit," Chef Brad said. "It's not because they have the best water. It's because someone back there [in the kitchen] gives a care."

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I liked it so much I ordered a second pie, The Green Stripe, to bring home. The pesto-sauced pizza was topped with grilled chicken, arugula, roasted red peppers, and mozzarella.